Sustainable Development Capacity Research Articles

Enhancing Sustainable Development Competence in Undergraduates: Key Determinants in the Context of “Dual-Carbon” Targets

Sustainable development is vital for achieving balanced progress across the economic, environmental, and health domains, and it is closely tied to the global drive for addressing climate change and environmental challenges. In this context, reaching the “Dual-Carbon” targets—carbon peaking and carbon neutrality—have become critical priorities both domestically and internationally. As a result, the cultivation of Dual-Carbon professionals is essential for driving sustainable development. This paper investigates the sustainable development capacity of Dual-Carbon professionals through an empirical study of 613 undergraduates in China utilizing Astin’s I-E-O theoretical model. This research examines the impact of course experience, self-efficacy, and learning engagement on sustainable development capacity. The results demonstrate that the course experience has a significant positive direct effect on sustainable development capacity. Moreover, self-efficacy mediates the relationship between the course experience and sustainable development capacity, while both self-efficacy and learning engagement serve as chain mediators. Based on these findings, this paper offers practical strategies to enhance the sustainable development capacity of Dual-Carbon undergraduates, providing valuable insights for the education and training of future Dual-Carbon professionals.

Emergy-Based Evaluation of the Sustainability of Agricultural Ecosystem in Dazhou, China, from 2002 to 2022

Our aim is to analyze the emergy evaluation indicators of the agricultural ecosystem in Dazhou, northeastern Sichuan, and provide practical and effective recommendations for sustainable agricultural development. Using emergy analysis, the emergy inputs and outputs of an agricultural ecosystem from 2002 to 2022 were calculated. Five emergy indicators were selected for evaluation: emergy yield ratio (EYR), emergy self-sufficiency ratio (ESR), emergy input ratio (EIR), environmental load ratio (ELR), and emergy sustainable indices (ESI). The total emergy input of the agricultural ecosystem showed an upward trend from 2002 to 2017, thus the industrial auxiliary emergy input decreased, somewhat curbing its continued rise from 2017 to 2022. The structure of emergy inputs, in descending order, is as follows: industrial auxiliary > organic emergy > renewable environmental resources > non-renewable environmental resources. The total emergy output of the agricultural ecosystem was highest in 2007, reaching 2.31 × 1022 Sej, and lowest in 2012, at 1.83 × 1022 Sej. The structure of emergy outputs, in descending order, is as follows: livestock > planting > fishery > forestry. The emergy yield ratio fluctuated down from 3.12 to 2.51, with an average of 2.88, below the provincial average of 3.07. The emergy self-sufficiency ratio fluctuated down from 0.30 to 0.26, with an average of 0.27, above the provincial average of 0.13. The emergy input ratio fluctuated up from 2.31 to 2.91, with an average of 2.66, above the provincial average of 1.86. The environmental load ratio fluctuated from 3.8 to 4.75, with an average of 4.40, which is higher than the provincial average of 1.68. The emergy sustainable indices fluctuated down from 0.81 to 0.53, with an average of 0.67, below the provincial average of 1.17. The efficiency of resource utilization in the agricultural ecosystem of Dazhou has decreased, economic inputs have increased, and it is in a consumptive production process. The pressure on the local natural environment is increasing, and the capacity for sustainable development remains at a low level over the long term.

Analysis on Ecological Network Pattern Changes in the Pearl River Delta Forest Urban Agglomeration from 2000 to 2020

The advancement of urbanization has led to a decline in the ecological function and environmental quality of cities, seriously reducing the services and sustainable development capacity of urban ecosystems. The construction of the National Forest Urban Agglomeration of China is conducive to alleviating the ecological and environmental problems brought about by rapid urbanization and promoting sustainable urban development. A time series analysis of ecological network changes can quickly and effectively explore the development and changes of ecological spatial patterns over time. Identifying ecological protection and restoration areas in urban agglomerations is an important way to promote ecosystem restoration and optimize ecological networks. This paper takes the Pearl River Delta forest urban agglomeration as the research area, uses multi-source remote sensing data from 2000 to 2020 (every 5 years), identifies ecological sources based on the morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) method, generates ecological corridors based on the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, constructs a time series ecological network pattern in the Pearl River Delta region, and analyzes the evolution process of the ecological network pattern over time. The results indicate that over time, the core green area in the ecological network pattern of the Pearl River Delta first decreased and then increased, and the complexity of ecological corridors first decreased and then increased. The main reason is that the urbanization process in the early 21st century led to severe ecological fragmentation. Under the promotion of the national forest urban agglomeration construction, the ecological network pattern of the Pearl River Delta was restored in 2015 and 2020. The time series analysis of the ecological network pattern in the Pearl River Delta region of this research confirms the effectiveness of the construction of forest urban agglomerations, providing a scientific reference for the identification of ecological networks and optimization of spatial patterns in forest urban agglomerations.

ESG, technological innovation and firm value: evidence from china

In alignment with China's “dual carbon” goals - peak carbon by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, this strategy underlines the necessity for economic transmutation and advancement to realize more sustainable economic growth. Concurrently, it draws attention to the imperative of the green development philosophy and the significance of climate change. In light of these policy directives, more rigorous standards of environmental conservation and social responsibility are imposed on publicly listed companies, particularly those in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. The objective of this paper is to explore the synergistic effect of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors and technological innovation on firm value in this context. This research is grounded on panel data from A-share listed pharmaceutical manufacturing companies surveyed over a decade - 2012 to 2021, incorporating 98 firms as the research sample. The findings reveal that: (1) there is a considerable positive correlation between a company's ESG factors and its value. This suggests an escalating interest from investors and the market in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development capacity; (2) technological innovation serves as a conduit, playing a partially mediating role, through which corporate ESG performance not only directly influences firm value but also indirectly boosts it by fostering innovation. The robustness test further validates our findings, demonstrating the reliability of the research outcomes. Advanced research indicates that the synergistic effect of ESG factors and technological innovation on increasing firm value is conspicuously significant in non-state-owned enterprises and those grappling with lower financing constraints. This suggests the role of ESG and technological innovation in enhancing firm value is more pivotal in specific contexts.

Identifying influencing factors and characterizing key issues in urban sustainable development capacity through machine learning

In response to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and China’s “Dual Carbon” Goals (DCGs means the goals of “Carbon Peak and carbon neutrality”), this paper from the perspective of the construction of China’s Innovation Demonstration Zones for Sustainable Development Agenda (IDZSDAs), combines carbon emission-related metrics to construct a comprehensive assessment system for Urban Sustainable Development Capacity (USDC). After obtaining USDC assessment results through the assessment system, an approach combining Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression and Random Forest (RF) based on machine learning is proposed for identifying influencing factors and characterizing key issues. Combining Coupling Coordination Degree (CCD) analysis, the study further summarizes the systemic patterns and future directions of urban sustainable development. A case study on the IDZSDAs from 2015 to 2022 reveals that: (1) the combined identification method based on machine learning and CCD models effectively quantifies influencing factors and key issues in the urban sustainable development process; (2) the correspondence between influencing factors and key subsystems identified by the LASSO-RF combination model is generally consistent with the development situations in various cities; and (3) the machine learning-based combined recognition method is scalable and dynamic. It enables decision-makers to accurately identify influencing factors and characterize key issues based on actual urban development needs.

Does Digital Inclusive Finance Increase Industry Chain Resilience in China?

A high level of industry chain resilience is essential for China’s economy to operate safely, soundly, and robustly. It also serves as the foundation for the nation’s capacity for growth, competitiveness, sustainable development capacity, and ability to respond to various external dangers. In this regard, the swift advancement of digital inclusive finance has shown significant prospects for enhancing the resilience of China’s industry chain. This study empirically examines the impact of digital inclusive finance on industry chain resilience, based on China’s provincial panel data from 2013 to 2021. The findings demonstrate the following: digital inclusive finance significantly contributes to industry chain resilience; optimization of industrial structure and technological innovation play mediating roles in the relationship between digital inclusive finance and industry chain resilience; and the high-quality development of the regional economy has a positive moderating effect on that relationship. Subsequent investigation reveals quantile and regional variations in the effect of digital inclusive finance on industry chain resilience. This study not only confirms the critical role that digital inclusive finance plays in bolstering industry chain resilience but also identifies a workable strategy for doing so in the case of China.

Determination of River Ecological Flow Thresholds and Development of Early Warning Programs Based on Coupled Multiple Hydrological Methods

In order to safeguard the health of river ecosystems and maintain ecological balance, it is essential to rationally allocate water resources. This study utilized continuous runoff data from 1967 to 2020 at the Zhouqu Hydrological Station on the Bailong River. Five hydrological methods, tailored to the hydrological characteristics of the Zhouqu hydrological cross-section, were employed. These methods included the improved dynamic calculation method, the NGPRP method, the improved monthly frequency computation method, the improved RVA method, and the Tennant method. Ecological flow calculations were conducted to determine the ecological flow, with analysis carried out through the degree of satisfaction, economic benefits, and the nonlinear fitting of the GCAS model. We established an ecological flow threshold and early warning program for this specific hydrological cross-section. Ecological flow values calculated using different methods for each month of the year were compared. The improved RVA method and Tennant method resulted in small values ranging from 4.05 to 36.40 m3/s and 7.65 to 22.94 m3/s, respectively, with high satisfaction levels and economic benefits, but not conducive to ecologically sound development. In contrast, the dynamic calculation method, NGPRP method, and improved monthly frequency calculation method yielded larger ecological flow values in the ranges of 21.79–97.02 m3/s, 23.90–137.00 m3/s, and 28.50–126.00 m3/s, respectively, with poor fulfillment and economic benefits. Ecological flow thresholds were determined using the GCAS model, with values ranging from 16.72 to 114.58 m3/s during the abundant water period and from 5.03 to 63.63 m3/s during the dry water period. A three-level ecological warning system was proposed based on these thresholds, with the orange warning level indicating optimal sustainable development capacity for the Zhouqu Hydrological Station. This study provides valuable insights into the scientific management of water resources in the Bailong River Basin to ensure ecological security and promote sustainable development.

Enabling interdisciplinary research capacity for sustainable development: self-evaluation of the Blue Communities project in the UK and Southeast Asia.

Global challenges such as climate change, food security and human health and well-being disproportionately impact people from low-income countries. These challenges are complex and require an international and transdisciplinary approach to research, with research skills and expertise from different disciplines, sectors and regions. In addressing this, a key goal of the research project, Blue Communities, was to create and expand mutual interdisciplinary capacity of both United Kingdom and Southeast Asian Partners. An existing questionnaire on research capacity was uniquely adapted to include interdisciplinary and international aspects and distributed for the first time as an online survey to the participants of the Blue Communities project comprising researchers across all career stages. Participants were asked about their perceptions of the research capacity and culture of their organisation, team and self and whether they believed any aspects have changed since their involvement with the project. Greatest improvement was seen at the self-level where results indicated a positive relationship between an individual's current success or skill and their improvement over the course of the research project across 18 out of 22 aspects of research capacity for Southeast Asian, and two for UK respondents. The conflict between achieving research aims, building research capacity and making societal impact was evident. Institutional support is required to value these core aspects of interdisciplinary research.

Assessment of sustainable development capacity of resource-based cities based on ecological carrying capacity —taking Zigong City, Sichuan Province, China as an example

In this paper, the ecological footprint model is used to analyze the ecological carrying capacity of resource-based cities, and the ecological profit and loss state is calculated to evaluate their sustainable development ability. Taking Zigong City of Sichuan Province as an example, Research has shown that the ecological carrying capacity of Zigong City has been increasing year by year from 2006 to 2012 and from 2015 to 2021. There was a sharp decline from 2013 to 2014. The ecological and economic diversity index and the development capacity of the ecological and economic system showed an upward trend from 2006 to 2021. However, from 2006 to 2020, the ecological sustainable development index of Zigong City was below 0.2, indicating a serious unsustainable state. In 2021, it was in a moderately unsustainable state. According to the protection of cultivated land resources, forest resources, grassland resources, water resources, energy utilization and building land involved in Zigong City's sustainable development ability, the corresponding suggestions are put forward.Considering the economic, environmental and social aspects, this paper propose a path for sustainable development ability of resource-based cities.

Application of the Ocean Health Index to assess ocean and coastal conditions of the Tokyo Metropolitan area

Ocean ecosystem services are fundamental to coastal economic development and climate regulation. The Tokyo Metropolitan Area (TMA) is one of the world’s most significant bay areas, with its economic development and residents relying on a healthy ocean and diverse marine ecosystem services. Post-World War II, the coastal zones of TMA have suffered from various human-induced stresses and impacts, jeopardizing the capacity of ocean ecosystem services and sustainable development. Although recent years have seen improvements in basic marine water quality, other ecosystem health issue, such as biodiversity, carbon storage, coastal protection are remain limited and require comprehensive enhancement. To better understand the current state of ocean health, promote more comprehensive ocean management decisions and plans, and support sustainable development in the region, it is essential to evaluate the ocean’s condition in the TMA and to assess future trends and risks. The Ocean Health Index (OHI) offers a comprehensive framework to evaluate global and regional ocean health conditions and their ecosystem services. This study applies the OHI to assess the ocean and coastal health of TMA, with indicators and reference points adjusted based on local conditions. From 2014 to 2019, the OHI assessment results indicate that TMA obtained an overall OHI score of 49 (out of 100), with goals ranging from 13 to 87. The environmental and social goals, such as Tourism and Recreation (87), Clean Water (67), Coastal Livelihoods and Economies (62), Sense of Place (62), and Artisanal Fishery Opportunity (51), are relatively high. In contrast, the ecological goals, such as Biodiversity (14), Carbon Storage (13), Coastal Protection (38), and Food Provision (24), are relatively low. This case study highlights strategies for improving ocean health conditions in TMA from both OHI goals and management structure perspectives. The methods and results provide a quantitative tool for regional marine and coastal management in TMA, aiding regional management organizations to establish quantifiable objectives for actions that were previously difficult to quantify. These results can indirectly promote the establishment of more comprehensive and holistic regional management organizations in TMA, which is currently fragmented, thereby effectively enhancing ocean health in TMA.

How Digital Transformation Enables Corporate Sustainability: Based on the Internal and External Efficiency Improvement Perspective

The promotion of the simultaneous advancement of digitalization and sustainability has emerged as a crucial concern for achieving high-quality economic growth within the framework of the ‘dual-carbon’ objective. Based on the micro data of Chinese A-share listed companies between 2009 and 2022, this paper systematically examines how digital transformation affects the ESG performance of enterprises in order to explore the effective path for digitalization to promote the sustainable development of enterprises. The results indicate that implementing digital transformation can enhance the ESG performance of enterprises, which in turn boosts their capacity for sustainable development. The test of the mechanism indicates that enhancing internal total factor productivity and optimizing external financial allocation efficiency are the key strategies for driving ESG performance improvement in companies through digital transformation. Further analysis reveals that the improvement effect of digital transformation on corporate ESG performance is more prominent in state-owned enterprises, non-heavily polluted industries, central and western, and low-marketization regions. In addition, while digital transformation enhances the ESG performance of enterprises themselves, it also creates beneficial ripple effects on the ESG metrics of their suppliers and customers, ultimately boosting the sustainable growth of the entire supply chain. The conclusions of this paper help to deepen the potential value of digital transformation and provide policy and practical insights for achieving sustainable economic development.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of human ecosystems in the context of protected areas as a policy tool: Insights from Sanjiangyuan National Park, China

As one of the most critical ecological functional areas in China and even the world, Sanjiangyuan National Park’s sustainable development has attracted attention. The integrated evaluation method, the coupling coordination model, and the grey correlation model were employed to uncover the coupling coordination relationship among sub-systems in the human ecosystem of Sangjiangyuan National Park. The results are as follows. First, the sustainable development capacity of the human ecosystem in Sanjiangyuan National Park fluctuated and declined during the study period, with insufficient momentum for sustainable development. Second, from 2005 to 2020, Sanjiangyuan National Park experienced a process of optimization and adjustment from moderately uncoordinated to nearly uncoordinated. At the county scale, the coupling coordination state of the sub-system was consistent with the overall national park. Third, among the four dimensions, the correlation degree of openness to the human ecosystem of Sanjiangyuan National Park was far ahead, followed by harmony, independence, and vulnerability. Our research can provide a reference for the coordinated development of the human ecosystem in other national parks with similar ecological functions around the world.

How does green credit guidelines affect environmentally friendly enterprises' ESG? A quasi-natural experiment from China.

Following decades of extensive economic development, promoting the transition to greening and decarbonization in economic development have become inevitable choices for controlling environmental pollution and achieving high-quality development in China. Green Credit Guidelines (NIGCG) is a major policy innovation to promote green credit and further improve sustainable economic development. The influence of these guidelines on environmentally friendly enterprises' sustainable development capacity, proxied by environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), has not yet been discussed. Therefore, this study takes the NIGCG issued in 2012 as a quasi-natural experiment, and adopts a propensity score matching-difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) model to test whether the NIGCG has affected ESG in environmentally friendly enterprises from 2009 to 2022. Our results indicate that the NIGCG significantly boosts environmentally friendly enterprises' ESG, and this finding remains robust to a series of tests. In addition, a mediating effect analysis reveals that the NIGCG affects enterprises' ESG through research and development (R&D) investment, verifying the Porter hypothesis in China. Finally, we determine that the role of NIGCG in promoting ESG is significantly reflected in the non-politically connected enterprises and enterprises in the eastern region. The empirical results suggest that the authorities should stimulate enterprises' R&D investments through supporting policies, such as tax reimbursement and government subsidies, and formulate differentiated policies according to the characteristics of enterprises and their regions, so as to improve the effect of NIGCG.

Multiscale coupled development and linkage response evaluation of China's carbon neutrality and sustainable development capability–A quantitative analysis perspective

The carbon neutrality is closely related to ecological environment quality and sustainable development. But the coupling mechanism between the carbon neutral capacity (CNC) and the sustainable development capacity (SDC) is currently unclear. In this research, we innovatively proposed a quantified carbon neutral capacity model (QCNCM) based on net ecosystem productivity to assess regional CNC, and established a framework for quantifying the relationship between CNC and SDC by integrating the gravity model, coupled coordination degree model, Moran's index and Spatial Durbin Model (SDM). Meanwhile, the synergistic development trend and coupling mechanism between CNC and SDC of China were explored. The results show that (1) China's CNC high-value zones are mainly located in the northeast and southwest, while SDC high-value zones are mainly located in the more developed cities, most of which are located in the southeast coastal region. (2) The coupled coordination degree between CNC and SDC is at a high level, indicating a high correlation between the two and a trend of coordinated development. (3) The sustainable development goals have significant spatial-temporal responses to CNC, and also exhibit differentiation in regional heterogeneity analysis. By establishing a quantitative relationship framework between CNC and SDC for the first time, this study provides a deep insight into the synergistic development process of sustainable development goals and carbon neutrality target, which is of great significance to the study of the spatial-temporal coupling and synergistic development of CNC and SDC in China.

Energy access challenge and the role of fossil fuels in meeting electricity demand: Promoting renewable energy capacity for sustainable development

The energy access challenge remains a significant barrier to sustainable development, with millions of people still needing access to modern energy services. Fossil fuels have played a crucial role in meeting electricity demand, but they face challenges and drawbacks in terms of environmental sustainability, energy security, and climate change. This study examines how renewable and non-renewable energy generation capacity impacted the environment in 53 upper-middle-income countries from 1990 to 2020, using energy access and alternative energy sources as mediating variables. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between renewable energy generation capacity, energy access, alternative energy sources, and environmental conditions in upper-middle-income countries. The positive relationship between renewable energy generation capacity and environmental conditions emphasizes the importance and potential of renewable energy sources in mitigating environmental degradation. Additionally, the findings indicate that energy access also plays a crucial role in shaping energy generation patterns, with higher levels of access being associated with increased renewable energy generation and decreased reliance on non-renewable energy sources. These findings highlight the urgent need for policies and measures to promote renewable energy adoption and prioritize energy access to mitigate environmental degradation and achieve sustainable development goals.

Eco-Efficiency Evaluation of Integrated Transportation Hub Using Super-Efficiency EBM Model and Tobit Regressive Analysis – Case Study in China

The transportation industry is a key area for ecological civilisation construction and low-carbon development. As the core support of the national integrated transportation system, the ecological development level of integrated transportation hub (ITH) is crucial for enhancing the sustainable development capacity of the national integrated transportation. An eco-efficiency evaluation index system of ITH is established in this study and the eco-efficiencies of twenty international ITHs in China are comprehensively evaluated based on the super-efficient epsilon-based measure (EBM) model. Then the panel Tobit regression model is adopted to analyse the influencing factors of eco-efficiency. The results show that the average eco-efficiency of ITHs in China during 2011–2021 declines first and then rises, with a relatively high level overall but not efficient yet, and there is an obvious gradient distribution characteristic in all eco-efficiencies. Among them, Guangzhou ranks first, followed by Haikou, and Harbin ranks last. It is found that integrated transportation efficiency, urban green coverage, level of opening-up and economic development improve eco-efficiency significantly, while urbanisation rate, industrial structure and technology input have a negative impact. The results are consistent with the actual situation, verifying the practicality of models, and can be used to promote the sustainable development of integrated transportation.

顶山市城市社区养老托育服务供给状况研究——基于QCA 方法的组态分析

Population ageing has always been a topic of great concern, and in recent years, with the emergence of the declining birthrate, China's population structure is also facing new challenges. With the national policy of intergenerational integration of old-age care and childcare, Pingdingshan City has also begun to face the problem of how to develop old-age care and childcare. Among them, the problems are mainly manifested in the insufficient supply of professionals, medical and health services, and early childhood enlightenment education services. In view of these problems, this paper puts forward a number of suggestions to strengthen the construction of talent team, publicize the advantages of urban community elderly care services, connect multiple resources to enhance sustainable development capacity, and increase government financial and policy support, so as to promote the sustainable development of elderly care in Pingdingshan City.

Evaluation of sustainable development capacity of water sources: a case study of China.

The issue of water scarcity has drawn attention from all over the world. The coordination of the interaction between ecological and environmental development of water sources and socio-economic development is currently an essential issue that needs to be solved in order to safeguard the water resources environment for human survival. In this essay, we suggest a paradigm for assessing the sustainable exploitation of water resources. First, three ecological, economic, and social factors are investigated. Twenty essential evaluation indexes are then constructed using the Delphi approach, along with an index system for assessing the potential of water sources for sustainable development. The weights of each evaluation index were then determined using the combination assignment approach, which was then suggested. The coupled degree evaluation model of the capability for sustainable development of water sources was then developed. In order to confirm the viability and validity of the suggested model, the model was used to assess the Liwu River water source's capacity for sustainable growth in the context of the South-North Water Transfer in Shandong, China. It is believed that the aforementioned study would serve as a helpful resource when evaluating the capacity of water sources for sustainable development.

Science Advisory to Governments and Regional/Sub-Regional Organizations in West and Central Africa

Science advice to governments and regional and sub-regional organizations in West and Central Africa has been reviewed. The objectives were to analyze its evolution and characterize the sources of advice. During the colonial period, it was by the colonial administrations and for their needs. At independence, in general, the new nations (particularly French speaking) entered into agreements with the former colonial powers to develop science, technology and innovation capacity for sustainable development. English speaking nations sought more partners outside the colonial experience. Colonial research institutes were increasingly transformed into national research institutes/institutions with national development mandates. Governments increasingly turned to science advice from consultants, inter- ministerial committees, advisory bodies, ad hoc experts’ groups, or a combination of these. Regional/sub-regional organizations sought advice from consultants, ad hoc technical experts’ groups, advisory bodies or a combination of these. Increasingly, science advice is delivered by Africans. Science advice by science academies is most rigorous. The arrival of more science academies, with varying links with governments, indicates that evidence-based science advice is growing in the region.

Community capacity building and indigenous tourism in Iran

ABSTRACT Enhancing community capacity is crucial for sustaining tourism benefits in marginalized areas, yet remains underexplored. This study focuses on community capacity building in a nomadic community in Iran, utilizing qualitative methods. Twenty participants, including locals and tourism stakeholders, were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed key factors like governance, social capital, and community cohesion impacting capacity building. Challenges such as distance from power centers and cultural biases hindered progress. The research highlights the significance of factors like local leadership and access to resources in bolstering community capacity for sustainable tourism development. Addressing obstacles like religious biases and nomadic lifestyles is crucial for effective capacity building in marginalized communities. The study offers significant practical and theoretical implications for tourism industry stakeholders.